The present invention generally relates to a plow. More specifically, the invention relates to a plow for attachment to vehicle for removing objects, such as mines, from an area of land.
Of course, mine extracting plows have been generally known since approximately World War II. The plows are designed to provide safe lanes through mine fields to enable other vehicles to follow through in single file behind the plow. Mines are typically scattered in mine fields by the enemy. Typically, mines are dropped from the air or otherwise placed by artillery. The mines are scattered randomly or in a pattern across the mine field by the enemy to delay any attack or forwarding of troops.
This delay is accomplished since mines must be removed before a vehicle can successfully pass through the mine field. A known type of plow for removing mines is referred to as a "breaching plow." Such a plow must breach the mine field before any other armored vehicle, such as tanks, can also be used. A breaching plow is typically an individual armored vehicle which is only suitable for plowing.
However, before a breaching plow can be employed, the enemy from the far side of the mine field must be dislodged to prevent direct anti-tank fire on the equipment. To do so, a bridge head is made across the mine field by troops devoid of armored vehicles thereby reducing their fighting capability. Before the bridge head operation can be launched, it is also necessary to concentrate an attacking force on the home side of the mine field. These concentrations of the attacking force invite air and artillery bombardment and, therefore, much damage results even before the actual attack is started.
Further, the breaching plow is also very heavy in weight and bulky making the plow cumbersome to handle. In addition, the breaching plow, during operation, plows large quantities of earth and covers the extracted mines. This makes the mines difficult for troops following the plow to identify the mines and also difficult for engineering troops to locate the mines.
Further, breaching plows are similar to bulldozers in that powerful engines are required to push the vehicle having such plows. Furthermore, the bulldozing effect only allows the plow to move at a very slow speed (approximately three to six miles per hour) during operation. As a result, the plows are easy targets for enemy anti-tank fire or air action.
The breaching plow cannot be mounted on any light armored vehicles as the weight of such vehicles is insufficient to anchor the treads during operation thereby causing them to slip. When mounted on an armored vehicle, the breaching plow extends substantially in front of the plow. This particular arrangement interferes with the cross country capability of the vehicles, particularly, the crossing of ditches, trenches and the like, since the plow tends to dig into the ground when the front end of the vehicle dips into the ditch or when getting off a landing craft on a beach head.
Furthermore, the breaching plows are not shaped with the configuration of the vehicle restricting the ability of the driver to seek cover in woods, clumps of trees, and the like. Misjudgment by the driver can, therefore, result in damage to the plow.
A further problem associated with breaching plows is such plows are at least partially electrically controlled. That is, power for the breaching plows is drawn from the vehicle to which it is attached. In addition, sophisticated hydraulic components located outside the vehicle are also operated by the power of the vehicle. Such systems are prone to damage under battle field conditions, particularly in a nuclear environment. Breaching plows are prone to damage or breakdown owing to underground obstacles like immoveable rocks and roots.
In view of the aforesaid, breaching plows are only mounted on a limited number of vehicles to make safe lanes for other vehicles to follow one behind the other. This makes the columns easy targets for air and ground action.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved plow which can be called an assault plow for removing obstacles, such as mines, from an area of land wherein the plow can be attached to any vehicle so that armored formations can assault across a minefield in attack formation with each vehicle making its own way through the minefield rather than following one behind the other. This is necessary for restoring to armor its basic characteristics of fire power mobility and shock and for allowing the armor commander complete flexibility to maneuver through a mine infested area without having to launch a bridge head operation or unduly concentrate troops. This is only possible if the plow is reduced in size and so constructed as to blend completely with the configuration of the armored vehicle so that normal freedom of operation of the vehicle is not effected. Further, the plow must continue to function and not get damaged or break down when striking an underground immoveable obstacle and not reduce the speed of the attack.